Chapter 265

"I heard you were in town, so it wasn't difficult to find what hotel you were staying at. I'm in town for a few days myself. Thought I'd catch the show tomorrow and stop by to see you tonight." Rhys said.

"How did you get past Jim and the rest of our security?" Pearl asked.

"They must be getting settled into their own rooms?" He said, shrugging. He started to walk inside the room and Pearl stopped him, closing the door further and blocking him.

"There's nothing for us to talk about. Besides, Erik will be here any minute." Pearl said.

"I think we are past the point of lying to each other, Pearl. I know he's out of the country. It was in the news." Rhys said, smiling.

"Ok. We can talk at the door. What do you want?" She asked, trying to keep him in the hall long enough for someone to notice.

"Look, I want to talk to you. I, I need to talk to you. There are things we need to discuss, for closure purposes if nothing else." He said, he looked rough. His hair had grown out and his eyes had dark circles under them. She knew he was going to be persistent and decided that there wasn't a point to arguing about it.

"Come in then." She said, opening the door. He smiled and nodded and walked through the door and into the living room area of the suite.

"So, how are you?" Rhys asked, sitting down on the couch.

"I'm fine, what do you want to talk about?" Pearl asked, standing behind the kitchen counter and making sure he knew she wasn't interested in this being a long visit.

"The baby wasn't mine." He said, putting his head down. "I did all of that and the baby wasn't mine. She lied to me the entire time." Rhys said.

Pearl nodded and looked down. She didn't want to outright say, I told you so, but it was definitely her main thought.

"I need to do something. Say something, to you." He said. He stood up and walked to her, stopping at the counter. "I have this... planet of regret on my shoulders. I wish I could go back to that party, that night in LA, and tell you how proud I was of you for putting that bitch in her place. I wish I could tell you that I appreciated your trying to protect us and me. I wish I could have seen those people in the light that you did. I want to tell you that. I had to tell you that. You were right and I was wrong, so wrong." He said.

Pearl again nodded. She didn't have anything to say but she knew he needed to say it and even though she had moved on, she needed to hear it.

"And the wedding... I want you to know that I didn't intend on keeping it unofficial for long. We were going to have that big wedding in the Poconos. The one you gave that couple instead. I told my handlers and family that I was doing it. Without a prenup. They were not happy at all, but I told them and they knew. Hawaii was just for us. A way for me to show you that I wanted to marry you. A way to make you stay mine, and a way to tell the world to fuck off." He said. "I wanted you to know that. And I want you to know that I loved you, love you. I truly did. I don't want there to be any confusion about that."

This time Pearl had words for him. "All you ever had to do was talk to me about it. The wedding. The money. All of it. And all you ever had to do was defend and support me through it. Carys, David, your family and friends. All of it. And you didn't. None of it. I appreciate you coming here and talking to me about these things. But you are too little, too late. And some advice for you... life isn't always this wonderful, easy thing. It is difficult, painful and raw and you can't refrain from being supportive during the rainy times because your love is only conditional on who stands with you in the sun." She said, walking to the door. "It was nice seeing you again. Thank you for taking the time to give yourself some closure, which is what it was. For you. Because I can assure you, I don't give a shit."

Rhys nodded and followed her to the door. She opened it to let him out and jumped when she saw Erik standing there, with a bouquet of flowers, getting ready to knock.

"What in the bloody hell is going on here?" Erik asked.